Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy has welcomed the MIC announcement that a RM30,000 allocation would be put aside to rebuild a demolished Hindu shrine in Prai on a 225 square-metre plot of land.

"But despite the announcement, there is nothing concrete so far as to when and where the shrine would be rebuilt," Ramasamy told Malaysiakini .

p ramasamy 160211 Ramasamy  ( left ) said the 60-year- old shrine, which was flattened by the Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) in April last year, should have been reconstructed straight away.

He questioned the details of the announcement, which he claimed differed from what he was told by the Transport Ministry - which oversees the PPSB - in Parliament last year.

"I raised the issue in Parliament and received a short reply in writing from the Transport Ministry that the federal government was going to provide a plot of land, the size of 225sq-ft and not 225sq-m as mentioned by the state deputy MIC chief L.Krishnan," Ramasamy said.

"The federal government did not mention then how much allocation it would provide for the rebuilding of the shrine, but why did MIC agree to only RM30,000?" he asked.

Foundation can't be laid claim

"The amount is a pittance. It is not even enough to lay the foundation for the shrine."

The Batu Kawan MP was referring to the announcement yesterday by Krishnan, who is also Penang Port Commission (PPC) board member, that a new Hindu shrine would be built near the Prai Bulk Cargo Terminal.

NONE The old shrine was reportedly destroyed due to its proximity to a gas pipeline that was laid in 1998.

Krishnan had informed the press that the allocation of RM30,000 and a plot of land had been decided during a PPC board meeting held on Jan 29.

Krishnan, who is also BN Prai coordinator, added that construction would start immediately, taking about three months to complete.

Present at the press briefing then were Penang Gerakan chief Dr Teng Hock, state MIC Youth chief J. Dhinagaran, Batu Kawan Gerakan chief A. Mohan, Batu Kawan MIC chief R. Muthiah, Batu Kawan Umno deputy chief Mohd Nor Ahmad, Penang Port Indian Affairs Cultural and Welfare Association secretary C.K. Manoharan.

"The issue should not have been politicised," said Krishnan, adding that  individuals with vested interest in politics had exploited the issue for themselves.

Ramasamy refuted his claims, asking if the PPC was truly serious in doing the job as he has yet to see any work done on the matter.

Too much dilly-dallying already

"Why the delay? The federal government and the MIC have been dilly-dallying over the issue for months," said the Prai assemblyperson.

"As an MIC representative who wants to contest in Prai, Krishnan can't even carry out this simple task. How can he represent the Indians in Prai?" Ramasamy asked.

"The MIC has been powerless and could not even prevent the demolition in the first place," he added.

NONE Ramasamy said the Prai Indians want the shrine constructed in such way as to reflect its former stature.

He denied allegations that the shrine was demolished because it posed danger to the cargo area.

"Please, the shrine has been around for about 60 years, why has it suddenly become a danger?

"I urge the MIC in its lowest form to at least do this deed. Or else how can the party ever hope to say it represents the Indians?"